MERCEDES CONFIRMS MONZA ENGINE CHANGE AND GRID PENALTY FOR ANTONELLI
Kimi Antonelli has confirmed that he will take a grid penalty at the Italian Grand Prix in Monza after Mercedes decided to introduce a new power unit for his home race.
The championship leader confirmed the decision during the Dutch Grand Prix weekend at Zandvoort. Mercedes had already been considering where to take the penalty, and Monza was chosen because its layout offers several opportunities to overtake.
“It’s a decision we took together because Monza is one of the circuits where it’s easier to overtake. It’s true that it’s my home race, but ultimately, I’m thinking about the championship,” Antonelli said.
The decision means Antonelli will face a difficult home Grand Prix in front of his Italian fans. The exact grid drop will depend on which power unit components Mercedes changes, but the introduction of components beyond the permitted allocation will trigger penalties under the 2026 regulations.
Antonelli had already reached the limit of his penalty-free power unit allocation earlier in the season. In July, Mercedes installed a fourth internal combustion engine and a second MGU-K on his car at the Belgian Grand Prix. The team made that change after identifying a possible structural issue in an internal component of the previous power unit.
Because Antonelli had already used the maximum number of allowed components, Mercedes knew that another new power unit would eventually result in a grid penalty. The team therefore had to choose a circuit where recovering positions would be easier.
Monza is one of the best options for that strategy because of its long straights and heavy braking zones. The Italian circuit normally provides more overtaking opportunities than Zandvoort, meaning Antonelli should have a better chance of recovering positions after starting further down the grid.
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has also confirmed that the penalty is now planned for Monza. The Italian Grand Prix will take place from September 4 to 6, two weeks after the Dutch Grand Prix.
The decision comes while Antonelli leads the 2026 Drivers’ Championship. He currently has a significant advantage over Lewis Hamilton, with the Ferrari driver being his main challenger in the standings.
The power unit situation is therefore being managed with the championship in mind. Rather than waiting for a less suitable circuit later in the season, Mercedes has chosen to take the penalty at a track where Antonelli can potentially recover positions through overtaking.
Reliability has also been an important part of Mercedes’ decision-making this season. The team has already had to react to technical concerns with its power unit, while the new 2026 regulations have introduced a different approach to power unit management compared with previous seasons.
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